One More Night
by Mistress of the Arts
Summary: College student Max Tate has spent three years apart from Ray Kon. Every day that has passed, he's ached for one thing and one thing only... to finally tell Ray the truth. Oneshot. Shonen-ai. Ray/Max.


**A/N: My Beyblade craze has started again. I'm writing a series of oneshots, ranging from different pairings and different genres, so bare with me. Please review; no flames or you will be blocked.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade or the characters, but I do own my love for them!**

**One More Night**

His mind wouldn't get off the memories. They continued to play in his head, over and over again, those final moments of blue eyes meeting gold and the last hug shared between them. The last words spoken in soft whispers…

"Ray…"

Max swirled his straw in his soda glass, his chin propped up in his hand, and his blue eyes distant. The sound of the ice clinking against the glass and the soft music playing on the radio was in the background. The café located on the college campus was oddly quiet and empty. Then again, it was the middle of summer vacation, and only few students took summer courses at the college in the first place, Max being one of them.

He stared out the glass panes and at the sky, which was an array of colors as twilight arrived. The gold streaked across the indigo and violet was a familiar shade, scorching like topaz, and making the longing fill Max's chest as he ran a hand through his golden blond locks.

He could almost hear Ray's voice…

"_Don't worry, Max. We'll always be close, no matter how far apart we are… I'll miss you._"

Max sighed deeply and murmured, "If only I had told him back then… how much he truly meant to me."

He was young, he was inexperienced, and he hadn't recognized the feelings of love that he harbored for Ray Kon until he was gone, not a word spoken between them for almost three years now. Every day passed by with a deeper ache to see Ray's face, to hear his voice, and to finally confess the feelings he had held in for so long.

He was all that Max could remember after all they had been through. June had started to feel like November to the poor boy, for he and Ray had been apart for too long. His days were growing colder, with no real life in them anymore.

"I'm so pathetic." Max groaned, hanging his head, and clenching his fist.

He opened it a moment later, gazing down at the white tiger head on the silver chain necklace. He had bought it the moment he had seen it, despite the hefty price, even though being a professional Beyblader meant he wasn't low on cash or anything, but he just had to have it.

That pendant reminded him of Ray…

He wore it everyday, tucked under his shirt and right over his heart where it belonged. Sometimes he would just press his hand over it, close his eyes, and imagine Ray's laughter and smile, which would lessen some of the pain.

"I need to listen to Hilary and just… let him go. It's been three years now, and he has his own life. Probably married with kids now." Max mumbled.

He had turned to Hilary the moment he realized his feelings for Ray. He couldn't go to Tyson or Kai, for they wouldn't understand the young blonde's feelings. Hilary had been completely supportive, and she owed Max in the first place, for he was the one who opened her eyes to her true feelings for Kenny.

A/N: Plot twist. I stuck Hilary with the midget. He needs love.

Max sighed again and went to stand up and leave. He left his half-empty glass of cream soda, having lost the desire to finish it, and he grabbed his school bag before clasping the pendant back around his neck. His blue eyes locked on his sneakers as he headed for the double doors, pulling it open, and getting ready to step out into the early summer night.

His shoulder brushed against another, sapphire blue eyes looking up and locking on topaz gold, and suddenly time stood still. All Max could do was stare. His heart was racing so fast in his chest he was sure it was going to burst right through, his fists were clenched at his side with nails piercing into his palms, and warmth was creeping up from his neck and to his cheeks.

"R-Ray?" a croaked whisper, eyes wide in bewilderment.

"Max…?" a soft whisper, yet still spoken in that rich tone of voice that sent a wave of warmth to Max's heart.

Max couldn't believe his eyes. This had to be a dream, a hallucination. Perhaps his roommate had drugged his Mountain Dew that morning as payback for not going to be until almost four. There was no way that the love of his life, the one person he hadn't spoken to in three years was suddenly before him.

"Man, you look great.' Ray said, smiling, and revealing his slightly sharpened incisors.

Max finally pinched himself in the side, so hard that tears shot to the corners of his eyes, and he had to blink rapidly to clear his sight. Ray was grinning still, just beaming in happiness to see his friend, and Max finally spoke a coherent sentence.

"What are you doing here?"

Ray blinked, "Uh, Hilary sent me an email of utmost concern, and told me that you've been sorta… depressed lately. Totally not like you, man. She told me I'd be the only one to cheer you back to your usual energetic self." He explained.

Max blinked several times before he stepped away from the door, "She did?"

Ray followed him, though he couldn't help but notice Max was keeping way more distance than he used to. Max looked both ways before he darted across the street, heading through the park of the campus, and Ray hurried to catch up to him.

"Max, hey!" He snatched the blonde's arm, "What's your deal? I thought you'd be happy to see me!"

The light of the lamppost revealed what the shadows concealed as Ray jerked Max around to face him. Sapphire eyes were glossed over with the sure sign of tears, fear flickering in those wide orbs, and Ray's heart clenched at the sight. Suddenly his hands were cupping Max's face.

"Max… hey… its okay… don't cry…"

"I'm not crying!" Max sniffled, furiously wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. "Just my allergies!"

Ray chuckled as Max finally met his eyes, still teary at the corners, and Max was really forcing himself not to cry. The raven-haired boy pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes with a gentle smile.

"Max… c'mon, tell me what's wrong."

"Don't wanna…"

"C'mon, Max, it can't be that bad."

Max jerked back and away from him, "Like you can say that! You wouldn't know what its like, being in love with someone you shouldn't be!" He shouted, his face red, and his teeth gritted.

Ray was quiet for a moment. "Max… I do know."

"No you don't! You can't possibly know what's going on in _here_!" He hit his chest and then paused, his eyes widening frantically, and he started to feel around. "W-Where is it? Where's my pendant?!"

Frantic blue eyes searched the ground, looking around and searching. Ray blinked and knelt down, his fingers gently picking up a silver chain, and then a white tiger head pendant fell into his palm, the metal cold against the warm skin. He flipped it over and felt heat rise in his cheeks as he read Max's script on the back.

"'Ray'."

His own name was engraved on the back. Ray jerked his head up and saw Max frozen in place, pale, and his eyes wide. He could see so many emotions in those big blue eyes.

Fear… shock… and was that guilt?

"Max…"

"I-It's not what it looks like!"

Max reached out to grab the pendant, but Ray clasped his hand around his, and smiled.

"Max… you said to me I wouldn't know what it's like, falling in love with somebody I shouldn't have."

Max blinked as Ray moved closer, eliminating the distance.

"I _do_ know… I know because I'm in love with you, Max… and I have been since we said goodbye three years ago."

Max blushed heavily, "W-What…?"

This wasn't making sense, despite how clearly Ray had said it. Max just couldn't believe that Ray had come back into his life, and was saying the words he should be saying to him. He just didn't understand, didn't know how to react.

"B-But… that's insane!" Max stammered. "R-Ray, look at you and look at me! You could have anyone you want! Why would you be in love with me?"

"Because you're you, Max. I can't really explain it any other way." Ray confessed. "All I know is that you've been in my thoughts this entire time we've been apart. Countless times I thought of calling you, finding you and telling you… but a part of me was scared. Scared that you would hate me and never look at me again."

"R… Ray…"

He pulled Max close, one hand on the other boy's lower back and the other pressed against the back of his hand, silken golden strands wrapping around his fingers.

"I love you, Max."

Max finally wrapped his arms around Ray, holding him just as tightly against him.

"I… love you, too, Ray…"

"I just want one more night with you, Max… just to hold you close…"

Max nodded and closed his eyes, "M-Me too…"

Ray pulled back and stared down into Max's eyes for a moment, before he leaned down and did the one thing the two of them had wished they had done that moment they said goodbye. Their lips met, just softly at first, before more firmly. Max moaned slightly as Ray ran his tongue along his lower lip, seeking entrance, and he granted it.

His tongue swept into his mouth, brushing against the roof of his mouth, before entering an intricate dance that made reality drift away. They only knew each other, only knew touch and taste, and couldn't get enough. Breathing heavily with his face flushed, Max finally pulled back.

"Too fast?" Ray said, blushing faintly himself.

Max just shook his head, "Um… in public."

Ray rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "Yeah…"

Max smiled and laced their fingers together, gently tugging, and leading Ray toward the dormitories.

"My roommate's gone for the next couple of days… wanna continue at my dorm?" Max said, biting his lip flirtatiously.

Ray smiled and replied, "Yeah!"

The two almost-lovers headed for the dorm to have one more night together…

**The End**

**ETP: I know, kinda corny, but it's just so cute! Please review; no flames!**

**Musical Inspiration: One More Night - Cascada**


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